When my baby sister Hawa Jay, one of our blog reviewers and Bellyitch 100 guide model, decided to head to Las Vegas for a Bachelorette Weekend, I accepted the invitation to tag along the girls’ trip to check out some of the destination’s famous amenities and attractions.

Although Las Vegas, Nevada is more well known as “Sin City”, it is also a very family-friendly destination and ranks as a top destination for families in several guides. We’ve listed it tops in a few Bellyitch Blog posts in the past.

Vegas has a lot of family-oriented hotels like Circus, Circus, for example, which features an amusement park, on site Krispy Kreme and popular chain fast food spots right inside.

It’s also a good baby moon destination because there are lots of vice and smoke-free options in the very active city as well.

There’s the High Roller ferris wheel at The LINQ Promenade which rotates slowly to give you a marvelous 360 view of the city from inside a large cabin, some fully stocked with drinks and food. The Eiffel Tower Experience at Paris Las VONS is fun as is The Wildlife Habitat Flamingo which opens daily from dawn to dusk and has daily Pelican feedings.

There are also destination hotels that are on the upscale side as well. The Red Rock Casino and Spa, for example, is nestled in historic Red Rock Canyon, famously known for its native American Nevadan reservations.

The resort is an oasis, equally luxurious as any 5-star hotel you’d find on the strip.

It is perfect for families with children because you can also find on property a bowling alley, a movie theater, an arcade and other smoke-free kid-friendly options.

But for mom and dad who want to indulge in slot play or poker, there’s a casino in the lobby – the best of both worlds.

In a very saturated hotel market, each need to stand out in its own way.

The Red Rock accomplishes this feat with its completely red-tinted glass entry way, an ode to the crimson shade in its name.

From the inside, you wouldn’t know if it was light or dark, rainy or clear outside. That’s a good thing if you’re looking to get lost in paradise.

The color scheme for the furnishings in the lobby and the large center lounge area surrounded by semi-circle staircase is made up of hues of red and complementary colors. The hotel has several bars, a sports bar, a bowling alley, live entertainment facilities, a pool bar and lobby bar.

It’s surprisingly more modern than I would think for an off-the beaten path location but nothing about the resort can remotely be acquainted with shabby. It gives me a vintage updated 1960s spy movie vibe.

The spot is also a destination for conferences because it has large conference rooms on the third floor with a very comprehensive shipping and business section for their corporate-type guests.

A very friendly spa associate greeted me at the door and pointed me in the direction of the check in. I was running a bit late but they didn’t make me feel bad for arriving a little after my scheduled 11:00 am appointment.

Another attendant took me back to a locker room area lit with soft lighting. I felt relaxed immediately as I took in the scent of lavender and peppermint oil waffling through the room. Aaah!

After a long flight into Vegas the day before, and a very very long day of activities and adjusting to the time zone change, a relaxing facial was what I needed.

The attendant showed me how to operate the personal lockers and set my personalized code, standard for day spas; and after slipping out of my street clothes and into one the plush white spa robes and comfy slippers the spa provides, I was ready for ultimate relaxation.

Before Ro could collect me, I peeked around the corner to check out a brightly lit styling and dressing area.

It was equipped with individual seated stations with soft ottoman benches, a large lit mirror, equipped with a hairdryer, brush and other hot hair styling equipment for customer use.

On the other side was styling mirror along the wall and a stand up vanity area.

The room was divided by a display of the assorted branded products for spa guests to use: hair gel, make up remover, deodorant, hair spray, mouse, cotton bolls and cotton swabs.

When it was time for me to head back, a very friendly and personable Ro emerged and guided me down the hallway where I noticed a supply station fully stocked with personal feminine products, shower caps, towels and more. Everything you’d need so you can come as you are and be very well taken care of. Loved that!

To get to my room for my facial, we also walked through an area with a hot tub on the left and what looked like a large whirl pool to the right and another seating area with snacks and water.

It was lined with fragrant scented candles on a mirrored shelf above.

A lot of day spas on the east coast have the showers like they have at the Spa at Red Rock but not the pools and hot springs tubs. Those features set it apart already from a lot of the traditional day spas I have patronized.

And I’ve been in quite a few on both coasts of the nation, in Europe and the Caribbean.

Just outside the door to the services room was a serene waiting area with a tea and coffee station.

A tray of spa-branded water was nestled on the center ottoman, which also was lined with magazines to pass the time while waiting to be called.

Ro did an excellent job. She asked me if I had any issues I was worried about and wanted to work out, then instructed me to ditch the robe and snuggle under the massage bed.

She started by explaining to me the results of her quick skin examination. The results: I have T-zone oily combination skin.

We started with a gentle exfoliation using one of those machine brushes for scrubbing away dead skin and polishing off external residue. Ro followed up with a nice hot steam and then the painful but good part, white head extraction.

In between, I was treated with a gentle and much appreciated neck and shoulder massage. My hands had been heavily moisturized and placed in a plastic mitt. Ro removed the mitts and gave me a hand and arm massage, before completing the facial treatment and applying sunscreen to my lips.

When done, she gave back my robe which was kept warm for me during my services. What a great touch because who wants to leave that experience and have a draft hit you in your face? A heated robe was right on time.

It was a very indulgent and comprehensive treatment and I would say worth the $160 value of the service. It is comparable to the prices at spas at The Strip hotels but unlike those hotels, when you leave to return to your room, you’re not thrown back into the very loud and obnoxious sounds of strip life.

You’re still secluded away from the hustle and bustle and noise.

If you’re in town for a conference, or considering it for a baby moon or a family get away, the Red Rock Canyon location gives you the access to the active Strip but with the serenity of being isolated slightly in the majestic mountain

Your experience will be further enhanced by the spectacular lavish treatment you’ll get from the professionals at The Spa at Red Rock by Well & Being. I highly recommend you add it to your itinerary and get fit in for a facial with Ro or one of the other wonderful professionals there. You’ll be glad you did.

A complimentary facial was provided in exchange for this review but all of my opinions are my own and not dependent or impacted on the value of the service.

Over 9 million people have enjoyed Bellyitch's Award-winning Celeb "bumpwatch" pregnancy and parenting blog. Trying to Conceive? Download our FREE Fertility 100 ebook. Hunting for Top Maternity or Kids Brands? Our Bellyitch 100 is the free resource for you. Baby Shower Shopping? Check out out Top Picks on Amazon or our Gift Guides.

Today, a lot of people use Facebook to connect with family, friends and colleagues across the world. The popular social media site is also used to chronicle different part of our lives, including milestones like births, weddings, birthdays and other special events. The problem, however, is that those moments and memories stay on that website.

Instead of real photo albums, many use Facebook’s digital albums as a permanent home for their family archival photos. Folks simply do not order prints of their pictures and place them in photo albums that they put on the coffee table.

My Social Book has stepped in to solve that problem. Using the desktop application, users can identify a time frame of their Facebook life and produce a hardback or softback book from it! It is very cool.

Recently, I was given the opportunity to create my very own Social Book and it came yesterday! Here is my unboxing and immediate response to my book. Check it out. And if you would like to order your own, you can get 25% off the cost (that’s a lot!) ! Prices start at just $14! There is a special going on now where you can get 25 pages of your 2015 year for just $10.00, compared to $30 that it usually costs. Sweet! Hop on that now!Q

And if you are not satisfied with the outcome, each book comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. Perfect! Here is my unboxing and reaction to my book.

Over 9 million people have enjoyed Bellyitch's Award-winning Celeb "bumpwatch" pregnancy and parenting blog. Trying to Conceive? Download our FREE Fertility 100 ebook. Hunting for Top Maternity or Kids Brands? Our Bellyitch 100 is the free resource for you. Baby Shower Shopping? Check out out Top Picks on Amazon or our Gift Guides.

As a busy momtechpreneur who is constantly in front of a computer and experiences eye strain at times, I was excited to be given the opportunity to test out a pair of 3D printed prescription eyeglasses made by a relatively new brand called Aspire eyewear.

Aspire is the brand of the vision wear company and retail chain ClearVision Optical. After getting an eye exam and faxing the prescription to the brand’s rep, a complimentary review pair of the style “Adventurous” arrived at the office.

Off the bat, I was impressed that frames were fashionable and super light. The frames in this brand are made up of a new nylon polymer material called SDN-4 which is lighter in weight than typical plastic frames.

The beauty of the 3D technology printing option is that the company can quickly develop a new series in 60 minutes compared to the 20 weeks it traditionally takes. Therefore, the company can stay on trend and quickly react to changes in design preferences or with emerging and new innovation.

The brand launched in 2015 with the philosophy for this label based on the question: “What do you Aspire to Be?”

Colors and style range from Boho-inspired florals and animal print designs for women, and modern, masculine, suiting inspired designs for men and women.

Later versions included Poetic, Artistic, Romantic, Influential, Real and Wise. We were sent a pair to review and can certainly attest to the fact that they are indeed pliable and flexible. We tried out the Adventurous model and agreed it is very lightweight (the glasses are 22% lighter than typical titanium frames).

The frames were extremely thin but durable at the same time. Throughout the review period of about two weeks, the glasses stood the test of daily wear. They are easy to clean and are attractive and eye catching. There is an adjustable nose pad as well with each pair.

Aspire Eyewear is available exclusively at ClearVision retail locations. Suggested retail pricing for the brand ranges from $249.99-$289.99. That is a moderate price range and worth the price for the quality.

The only thing that could have been better is the case that it came in is plastic and a bit on the flimsy side. Overall, they certainly are a pretty good bet.

Over 9 million people have enjoyed Bellyitch's Award-winning Celeb "bumpwatch" pregnancy and parenting blog. Trying to Conceive? Download our FREE Fertility 100 ebook. Hunting for Top Maternity or Kids Brands? Our Bellyitch 100 is the free resource for you. Baby Shower Shopping? Check out out Top Picks on Amazon or our Gift Guides.

Many women use shapewear to help smooth out bulges under dresses and snug tops, which is fine.

However, after a baby, you’ll need something that does a little more, like actually help you shrink your tummy back to pre-pregnancy shape.

You can do that with the very popular innovative shorts that Australian company SRC Recovery makes. SRC Recovery shorts are very popular and worn by mothers worldwide to help get back their pre-baby figure faster.

Wear them after birth for 3 months. They can be worn day and night and are suitable for women who have had vaginal and C-section deliveries.

The patented medical grade compression fabric helps to hold muscles together to promote healing and increase circulation to help your body get rid of excess fluid.

Unlike shapewear which can deactivate the core muscles, making your recovery last longer, the SRC Recovery shorts help to stimulate the muscles and build up core and pelvic floor strength.

Over 9 million people have enjoyed Bellyitch's Award-winning Celeb "bumpwatch" pregnancy and parenting blog. Trying to Conceive? Download our FREE Fertility 100 ebook. Hunting for Top Maternity or Kids Brands? Our Bellyitch 100 is the free resource for you. Baby Shower Shopping? Check out out Top Picks on Amazon or our Gift Guides.

With the winter months come dry, cracked skin, and added need for a moisturizer.

If you are interested in maintaining balance in your face, hands, lips and neck these colder days, while still keeping it all natural, a good bet is the products sold by Made from Earth. Back in the fall, the makers were generous enough to send me some of their wonderful products. They’ve been a God send and I’ve incorporated them all into my daily and weekly cleansing, toning and moisturizing ritual.

At least twice a week, I cleanse my skin with the grapefruit glycolic wash ($29.99) to keep the break outs away. It’s been working because before, during the warmer months, I was getting pimples regularly.

Also, daily, I moisturize my face and neck with the vitamin c moisturizer. ($36.00) The organic ingredients and vitamin c are defenses against the sun as well. To keep to my skin tight, I’ve been having success with the vitamin enhanced face firming serum (44.99) . It goes on non-greasy and dries quickly. On some days, I’ve gone with the vitamin enhanced moisturizer ($74.55) which has anti-aging properties that I can appreciate given I’m like most women out here fighting the effects of getting older.

Because I am always reading or working on a computer for long periods of time, my eyes get tired often. For five days at a time stretches, I’ve dabbed on some of the chamomile eye therapy cream ($22.95) around my eyes each morning after washing my face. The 5-day regimen does a great job to pick me up and I think it has collagen in it to firm up that area! Good for combating crow’s feet!

I also dig the Cucumber Cooling Gel ($13.49) and wear it regularly because it leaves my face refreshed. It’s also cool that it too has a toning property, and fights against sun damage and bags under the eyes. Good stuff.

Before applying make up, I spray on the skin correcting toner ($17.00). It is tingly and leaves my face feeling refreshed. I love the apricot scent it has too.

Finally, I keep the blueberry lip balm ($4.99) in my purse to moisturizer my lips and keep them from getting chapped. Sometimes I use the beeswax butter balm ($18.99) as a back up but it’s a bit greasy for the lips. Not my fave.

All of the ingredients, according to the makers, are organic, paraben free, eco-friendly and environmentally-conscious in ingredients, testing and manufacture!

Nice! If you’re looking for earth-friendly beauty products check out Made From Earth on its website!

JJ- approved

Over 9 million people have enjoyed Bellyitch's Award-winning Celeb "bumpwatch" pregnancy and parenting blog. Trying to Conceive? Download our FREE Fertility 100 ebook. Hunting for Top Maternity or Kids Brands? Our Bellyitch 100 is the free resource for you. Baby Shower Shopping? Check out out Top Picks on Amazon or our Gift Guides.

This review of these eco-conscious prenatal vitamins couldn’t wait for Eco-Friday!

SmartyPantsgummy vitamins for adults and kids just released its prenatal version this Spring. And as my 10-year old son who sneaked a few when my back was turned can attest to ….they are deelish.

And they’re good for you. Each gummy is packed with all the mineral and nutrients a pregnant woman needs: Vitamin C, D, E, B3, B6, folate, B12, and pantothenic acid; along with extra mom-to-be goodness: Vitamin D, B12, the omega-3 fatty acids EPA, DHA and the MK-7 form of vitamin K2, which is particularly hard to get through diet.

What you won’t find: GMOs. Artificial colors. Artificial flavor or Artificial sweeteners. The only thing that would make them better is if they released a Sugar-Free version next for moms-to-be who have gestational diabetes and are watching their sugar intake.

This Kid is Totally Like my 10-year old! ha!

Other than that, these vitamins look to be a great alternative to the large horse-pill vitamins I had to take when I was last pregnant over 7 years ago. Our reviewer, my 7-year old daughter’s expecting 2nd grade teacher, who checked out our review sample (Valued at $34.95 retail) said she is enjoying them.

The other awesome part is you get to take 6 daily. Yum!

Founded by serial entrepreneurial parents, Courtney and Gordon, SmartyPants also has an altruistic mission. It has a on one-for-one nutrient grant to Vitamin Angels for every bottle sold. So far, it has donated more than one million life-saving nutrient grants to women and children worldwide who suffer from undernutrition.

The makers of SmartyPants are giving one lucky Bellyitch reader a TWO- MONTHS SUPPLY!! Woot! That’s a Value of over $70 retail!! You get 360 Gummies to take home. Awesome Sauce!

Now thru next Friday, October 30 – It could be a pre-Halloween gift to the winner. Open to US ONLY. Many ways to Enter. None Mandatory. Enter Below:

Over 9 million people have enjoyed Bellyitch's Award-winning Celeb "bumpwatch" pregnancy and parenting blog. Trying to Conceive? Download our FREE Fertility 100 ebook. Hunting for Top Maternity or Kids Brands? Our Bellyitch 100 is the free resource for you. Baby Shower Shopping? Check out out Top Picks on Amazon or our Gift Guides.

and to keep track on the stylings and comings and goings of your favorite Bellyitch Bumpwatch Babe, follow our Pinterest Board dedicated to the babes!

Over 9 million people have enjoyed Bellyitch's Award-winning Celeb "bumpwatch" pregnancy and parenting blog. Trying to Conceive? Download our FREE Fertility 100 ebook. Hunting for Top Maternity or Kids Brands? Our Bellyitch 100 is the free resource for you. Baby Shower Shopping? Check out out Top Picks on Amazon or our Gift Guides.

As an active mompreneur who is constantly fighting the
battle of the bulge, I try to squeeze working out regularly into my very busy
and hectic schedule. I usually mix it up
with Zumba or Barre classes, outdoor and treadmill running, spinning and doing
exercise Apps or DVDs when the gym is closed and it’s too late to go out for a
run.

For most of my activities, I don’t need much equipment to
get moving other than exercise clothes and a comfy pair of sneakers. The only
other must-have is a powerful headphones because the pulsating bass and beats
of music help the time working out go faster. And nothing can ruin a good work
out than being stuck with mediocre earbuds that deliver poor sound quality.

I usually stick with Sol Republic buds and was geeked when
offered a chance to check out that brands new Shadow wireless headphones.

I’ve seen others on people that appear heavy and bulky. No
thanks. But surprisingly these were very lightweight and fit comfortably on the
base of the back of my neck.

To test them out, I used them while running outdoors, on a
treadmill, while doing jumping jacks and while spinning. The collar stayed put during
those rigorous movements. I like the freedom of not having wires to get in the
way and tangled up while running and breaking my stride.

A few times when not balanced they did slip but I chalk that
up to user error. All other times they barely
shifted. They could be worn all day around the office and used in lieu of those
wireless blue tooth ear pods that have one looking douche bag’ish.

It has a mic because it also operates as a phone.

I imagine these headphones could be used also by a new
mother who may not want to wander too far away from her baby to answer the
phone. With her smartphone within range, when paired with Shadow, her hands are
free and baby doesn’t get tangled in the wires of a traditional ear buds. Sweet!

I tested out the
range while spinning at the gym. I was able to stream music from my iPhone
sitting which on a table across the room plugged in and charging. That was a lifesaver because otherwise the
smartphone’s battery would have died and I’d be music less for the rest of the
work out session.

Each side has a section that houses either the battery and
volume and controls. Press on a tiny dot and when you see the flashing blue
light, you know it is on and ready to pair with any device that picks up Bluetooth
objects. When the batter is low, a guy tells you in your ear that the battery
is low to charge.

The manufacturers, based in San Francisco, California, claim the buds are rain & sweat resistant and they fold neatly up and can be carried in a pocket or in your purse, wristlet or sports fanny pack.

Even after hearing that guy, I was able to use the headphones
for another hour for a total of about 6-8 hours before having to recharge it.

And as I’ve come to expect from this brand, the sound
quality was superb.

I think Sol Republic’s Shadow is worth the $99 investment
and you can pick one up in Steel Black and Rich Grey at Best Buy which is the only retailer offering it now. Others will beginning in June.

But you don’t have to wait that long if there is no Best Buy near you. Sol Republic is letting us give away one of these Shadow wireless earbuds to one lucky Bellyitch reader.

Simply enter below now thru midnight next week Wednesday, May 20. Open to US entrants only.

Over 9 million people have enjoyed Bellyitch's Award-winning Celeb "bumpwatch" pregnancy and parenting blog. Trying to Conceive? Download our FREE Fertility 100 ebook. Hunting for Top Maternity or Kids Brands? Our Bellyitch 100 is the free resource for you. Baby Shower Shopping? Check out out Top Picks on Amazon or our Gift Guides.

I am a big believer in minimalist home design and having as little furniture in the house as possible, partially because it limits the amount of surfaces that can accumulate in-home allergens. Also, I live in a designated “Tree City” which means my town is full of very old historic trees that are great to look and live around but make for a horrible Fall and Spring allergy season when tree pollen becomes a problem.

I have used in-home air purifiers to also limit the irritants that trigger allergies. Everyone in my home suffers from allergies, unfortunately.

Given my family’s history with allergies, I was elated to be sent a unit and get an opportunity to test out BlueAir‘s innovative and award-winning air purifier “Sense.” (retail: $450). Sense filters the air and has an ion particle-charging process that is said to remove 99.97% of harmful airborne pollutants from the room faster. I tested it out in different sized rooms in my home.

Controls

I could control the level of filtration with a wave of my hand over the black motion-sensor control top. That was neat! With other systems, you may forget when it is time to change the filter, but this unit has a red alert that you can’t miss when passing by. To change, I will need to flip it on its side and remove the filter and change it every 6 months.

Eco-Friendly

It’s also eco-friendly and is built with 100% recyclable materials and the makers say it uses less energy than a light bulb to run. With a family of five, our energy bill can get up there so knowing this unit won’t add too much to that cost was great!

Design

It comes in an assortment of soft colors (white, brown, pink, blue, gray) to match any room or baby’s nursery design. The feet is soft so it won’t damage the hardwood floors in my home. I also loved the fact that the system looked attractive and would not stand out in the room but was attractive and blended in perfectly. I’ve read on the manufacturer’s website that the wraparound grill design also helps create 90% open area to maximize airflow. Aaaah! Perfect.

Maneuverability of the Unit

It was easy to carry from room to room because of the handles on the side. It wasn’t too heavy to lift either. My 10 and 12 year old could lift it and help me move it from room to room.

Does it work?

To me, each room the unit was in felt cleaner and even smelled cleaner. The kids noticed it too. You could breathe easier in the room and it was less stuffy. You could definitely tell the difference and that’s why after testing it out in different rooms in the house, we decided to leave it permanently in the children’s room.

I know it is hard to tell if a baby is suffering from a little cold or allergies, but one thing parents can do to limit allergens is to use little linen and reduce the amount of stuffed animals just sitting around. If you must use them, regularly clean them and put the stuffed animals in the freezer to kill bacteria and dust mites. The other thing they can do is have an air purifier unit like BlueAir‘s The Sense in their baby’s nursery.

The Price

The unit costs $450 which is lower than this brand’s older and previolusly models but is in the middle range of other units of this quality that also claim to purify, clean and circulate air in a 150 sq ft room 5 times per hour. The replacement filters run about $100 and I wish that price would come down a bit because that can be a bit hefty twice a year cost. It’s a good investment if you have allergy sufferers in your home. You cannot put a price on their comfort.

You can also check out a product video here:

Over 9 million people have enjoyed Bellyitch's Award-winning Celeb "bumpwatch" pregnancy and parenting blog. Trying to Conceive? Download our FREE Fertility 100 ebook. Hunting for Top Maternity or Kids Brands? Our Bellyitch 100 is the free resource for you. Baby Shower Shopping? Check out out Top Picks on Amazon or our Gift Guides.

About 5 years ago, we featured organic onesies in our weekly Eco Friday posts for the edification of our Eco-conscious parents who are interested in earth-friendly products. The benefit of organic clothing for babies is that they are gentler to the sensitive skin of newborns and infants that are prone to allergic reactions from clothing. Outfitting them in clothes made of organic material such as organic cotton may lessen the chances of their skin becoming irritated from harmful pesticides and other irritants found in non-organic materials.

We got a chance to check out a relatively new organic baby clothing company calledSoftBaby, which, according to the designer line, is loved by celeb moms Hayden Panettiere, Drew Barrymore and Ciara.

Here is a review from Bellyitch Reader Reviewer Chelsea who sampled a romper on her gorgeous 8-month old son Michael. Here is her review:

Fit – The first question when buying baby
clothes is does it fit? Great fit is key. Depending on the manufacturer, new
parents often finding themselves upsizing or downsizing based on the clothing’s
label to find the right fit for their baby. SoftBaby’s romper was a great fit
with no age guessing game. My 8 month old fit the 6-9 romper perfectly. There
was even some room for him to continue to grow.

Design and Texture – I loved SoftBaby’s design.
The unbleached organic cotton with yellow orange deer prints was adorable. The
romper would be a great baby shower unisex gift to give. Additionally, the
organic cotton was truly as soft as if it was picked directly from the field.
The thickness was a summer cotton and it made me wonder if SoftBaby was
considering having a winter cotton line of clothing as well.

Function –
Call it the “Great Soft Baby Crawling Suit.” The cotton moved freely with the baby as he speed
crawled around the house. Definitely no creasing, stretching or cotton
stiffness. The down side came when it was time to change Michael’s diaper. The
romper only had front snaps and no diaper snaps. The front snaps were a bit
stiff which made me worry that I may tear the fabric. And with no diaper snaps,
changing Michael required aerobatics on his part and for me to take the romper
almost off of him.

Overall: I would buy
the romper for myself or as a baby shower gift.

Good thing! Check out Softbaby which sellsblankets, bloomers, rompers and bodysuits, starting at $40.

Over 9 million people have enjoyed Bellyitch's Award-winning Celeb "bumpwatch" pregnancy and parenting blog. Trying to Conceive? Download our FREE Fertility 100 ebook. Hunting for Top Maternity or Kids Brands? Our Bellyitch 100 is the free resource for you. Baby Shower Shopping? Check out out Top Picks on Amazon or our Gift Guides.

Are you TTC? DOWNLOAD FERTILTY 100 FREE

Editor’s Style Picks

Amazon Associates Disclosure

Bellyitch is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com